In a series of articles, SDM reports the results of the first-ever research asking Americans about electronic security measures at work. To achieve simplicity and consistency, SDM’s survey asked first whether six different security measures were used at work: burglar alarms, video surveillance, door locks, card access/keypads, ID badges and fire alarms. Second, the survey asked which security measures respondents would like to see added at work. These results, cross referenced by demographic segments, provide a gauge of the present and a benchmark for the future.
To conduct the SDM 2004 Consumer Study: Workplace & Home Security, SDM – through its Market Research Division, mailed surveys to 20,000 U.S. households in late December 2003. The household panel was selected to conform to the latest United States Census data for the nine geographical divisions; within each division by market size, age of head of household, annual household income, and household size. By a cut-off date in February 2004, there were 13,997 usable returns, resulting in a 70 percent response rate. Definition of property crime: the offenses of burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft and arson. A word about city comparisons: SDM’s city areas are drawn by Nielsen Designated Market Areas. With this methodology, the city area is defined by the area a television signal reaches.